Lipari Foods — the Warren-based food distributor that has been on an acquisition spree — has been acquired by a private equity firm headquartered in Miami.

The company was purchased by H.I.G. Capital, which bought out Westport, Conn.-based Sterling Investment Partners' interests in Lipari Foods Operating Co. LLC, according to a Tuesday news release. The company said it partnered on the deal with the company's founding family. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The move bolsters Lipari's plan to become the premier "perimeter of the store" distributor across the nation, according to the company. It expects H.I.G.'s expertise in mergers and acquisitions to help it achieve that goal by growing distribution and manufacturing.

"The Company continues to have numerous opportunities to expand and H.I.G.'s experience and resources, particularly around M&A, will help us continue our successful growth trajectory," Thom Lipari, president and CEO of Lipari, said in a written statement. "We remain committed to providing outstanding service to our longstanding, blue-chip customers."

H.I.G. acquires Lipari as the local wholesale food distributor is well underway with a bold growth campaign. Lipari has purchased more than a half dozen companies in recent years, including Dearborn-based Jerusalem Foods and Pennsylvania deli company Heagy Foods late last year, as well as a Wisconsin-based cheese maker in March. The acquisitions have added distribution channels and product diversity for Lipari, which distributes bakery, dairy, deli, packaging, seafood, meat, specialty grocery, food service, confectionery, convenience food and beverage and health, wellness and beauty products to retail outlets in 15 states.

Lipari operates primarily out of a 725,000-square-foot facility in Warren and has annual revenue of around $1 billion.

Founded in 1963, the company's groundwork was laid years earlier by Jim Lipari, who operated a full-line grocery store and began shipping homemade barbecue sauce with his Ford station wagon, according to the company's website. In 1967, Lipari became the distributor for Frank's Tea & Spice, earning Jim the nickname "spice man" and catapulting his business to the mainstream. Soon after, the company added deli and dough to its distribution and has steadily added more offerings.

"We look forward to supporting Lipari and investing in both organic and acquisition-driven growth in its next stage of evolution," Justin Reyna, managing director at H.I.G., said in the release.

A Lipari spokeswoman could not be reached for comment Tuesday morning. Messages seeking comment were also left with Sterling Investment and H.I.G.